Bird Flu Strikes Rats, Pet Cats and Egg Suplies

The latest on Bird Flu's Hits to Egg Supplies, Rats and Cats

By Lauren J. Young edited by tanya lewis

We're regularly rounding up the latest news on avian influenza. Here's what happy recently.

Black Rats Test Positive for H5N1

Rats have become the latest addition to the menagerie of animals infected with the H5N1 Bird Flu Virus. The US department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Reported on February 19 that Four Black Rats From Riverside County, California – Southeast of Los Angeles County – Had Tested Positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. As of February 26, the total number of viral detections in mammals reported by the USDA Since May 2022 is 514.

On supporting Science Journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our Award-Winning Journalism by Subscribing. By Purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of important stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

The rats, initially tested in late January, was reportedly associated with two infected poultry farms. The virus had previously been detected in other rodents, such as house and deer mice. Black rats are knowledge to be common in urban area, which has raised concert of a potential new experts for route for pets and humans. Rodent transmission could also make it harder to control the spread of bird flu on poultry and dairy farms, where rats and mice may shede the virus in water or animal feed, on Equipment and in the environment. Researches in Japan Published a study In July 2024 that found that H5N1 Primarily replicates in Wild Rodents' Respiratory tract and can be detected in Oral Swabs. The reserchers sugges that the tested rodents, include black rats, brown rats and house mice, could spend the virus to their surroundings via saliva.

Infected Rodents Could also allow the virus to move more readily from farming environments to homes, the Los angeles times reportedScientists and scientific organizations, include the American Veterinary Medical AssociationUrge Farmers and Ownes of Backyard Birds and Household Pets to Reduce Rodent Exposure By full enclosing the perimites of animal pens and keeping feed, water and equipment in Sea, out-of-rest places.

Delayed report on bird flu in cats has finally been

The centers for disease control and prevention have posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report ,Mmwr) That contains Important new developments on household cats infected with bird fluA February 6 Mmwr Paper on the effects of wildfire on health initially inclined information Quickly TAKEN DOWNAccording to the New York TimesThe new Mmwr Report on cats, which was released on February 20, Details Two Cases of Infected Indoor Pet Felines in Separate Househlds. A Female Five-Year-Child Shortair Cat Had Decreased Appetite, Disorientation and Reduced Groming. And a Six-month-old male Maine Coon Experienced Facial Swelling and Loss of Appitite. Both showed signs of lethargy and progressive neurological deterilation. Being of the rapid program of disease in bot cases, the female cat was euthanized, and the male cat died within 24 hours of signs of Illness.

According to the report, neither of the cats had any knowledge directed direct expert to farms with h5n1 outbreaks but lived in the respective homes of two Michigan Dairy Workers – BOTH OFS One of the dairy works, who lives alone, operated on Multiple Farms Transporting Raw Milk and Reported Getting Splashed on the face, eyes and clothing. The second individual did not work directly with animals or on a farm with a knowledge outbreak. The farm that person worked on was worked oners that had H5n1 infections, however. The people who live with the second dairy worker all tested negative for the virus. The report notes that infection sources are still unknown.

The holdup of the cat report coincided with an interruption in CDC Communications and the Removal of Information on Many Government Sites to Comply with Executive Orders ISSUED by. The cdc has not published a Press release On Bird Flu Since January 17.

Bird flu infections in cats have previously been reported; Details of those cases are also limited. Experts hypothesize

Egg pricing woes

Egg pris continu to soar as bird flu outbreaks rip through the poultry industry. The Usda's Latest Weekly Egg-Market Overview ReportPublished on February 21, Noted that 36 confirmed outbreaks in nine states have resulted in the loss of 26.8 Million egg-roying birds. The pressure of lost poultry is having a direct effect on price: The Bureau of Labor Statistics Reported that the average cost of a dozen eggs was $ 4.95 as of January 2025 AS of January 2025 – Aa Record HIGH. Price May Soon Rise even Higher, however. The USDA's Latest Egg Market Overview Found Cartons delivered to retailers in the week of February 21 averaged $ 8.47 in New York State, $ 8.09 in the Major Midwesern Products Region and $ 9.9.22 in California.

On Monday the us's newly appointed secretary of Agriculture Brook Rollins Visited Poultry Farms in Texas and Hosted a roundTable with Farmers. At the event, she told ABC News That “It's Possible That Price May Continue to Rise” But that Her Team “Will fix it.” Rollins added that she and the trump administration has developed a new plan to control outbreaks in poultry, which she detailed today in an opinion Piece in the Wall Street JournalThe current procedure involves slaughtering entreen flocks when a case of H5N1 is detected. Rollins Says this will still likely be part of the process but that offices are investment in other tactics, including exploating Started under the biden administration in which the USDA offers farms no-cost biosecurity evaluations.

The plan also include considering egg importants from abroad. Turkey has started to Deliver 15,000 Metric Tons of Eggs to replenish us supplies, Reuters Reported. Shipments began this month, are expected to continue until until July and will cost approximately $ 26 million to expert.